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No. 565,114. Patented Aug. 4, 1896.

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Wih csscs I 9) E 2%6ir'fllforgays, 787 L UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

ROBERT G. HARDESTY, JOHN F. HALE, AND ROLLA J WELC-ll, OF \VEST PLAINS,MISSOURI, ASSIGNORS TO SAID \VELCH, JOSEPH N. GARDNER, AND OROFFORDVEST, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,114, dated August 41896.

Application filed March 23,1896. Serial No. 584,497. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ROBERT G. HARDESTY, J OHN F. HALE, and ROLLA J.WELoH, citizone of the United States, residing at Vest Plains, in thecounty of Howell and State of Missouri, have invented a new and usefulCar-Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car-couplings.

The object of thepresent invention is to improve the construction ofpin-and-link car couplings and to provide a simple and inexpensive onecapable of coupling automatically and adapted to'be readily uncoupledwithout going between cars. 7

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a car-couplingconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a centralvertical longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transversesectional view. Fig. at is a detail perspective view of thepinsupporting block. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the oscillatingstirrup.

1 designates a draw-head mounted on a car 2 and having a longitudinallink opening or cavity in which is arranged a spring-actuatedpin-supporting block 3, capable of a limited longitudinal movement andadapted when extended outward to have its front portion arranged beneaththe upper portion of acoupling-pin perforation to support a couplingpinl in an elevated position preparatory to coupling. A coiled spring 5 isarranged at the back of the block 3, and is disposed at an inclination,its upper end being fitted in a socket of the draw-head and its lowerend engaging a recess of the block. The longitudinal movement of theblock is limited by a screw 6, extending through the bottom of thedraw-head and projecting above the same and engaging a slot or recess 7at the lower face of the block 3.

.Vhen the coupling-pin is in an elevated position, its lowerend isreceived in a recess 8,

arranged at the top of the block and at the front thereof and forming aseat. The front of the block is provided with a projection, and it isadapted to be engaged by a link 9 at a point below the projection,whereby when the link enters the draw-head it will move the block inwardor rearward from beneath the coupling-pin and cause the latter to falland engage it. The projection, which extends outward from the upperportion of the block, forms a lower recess for the reception of thelink, and the latter is maintained in a substantially horizontalposition by being engaged with such recess.

The coupling-pin is elevated to eifect the operation of uncoupling by arock-shaft 10, disposed transversely of the car and j ournaled insuitable bearings thereof and terminating in handles 11. This rock-shaftis provided with a centrally-arranged arm 12, which is connected withthe upper end of the coupling-pin by a chain 13. \Vhen the handles ofthe rock-shaft are swung upward, the coupling-pin will be elevated andthe spring-actuated pin-supporting block will move forward automaticallyand assume a position beneath the coupling-pin.

In order to hold the coupling-pin in an elevated position, when twoparts are coupled, to obviate the necessityof the operator holding thecoupling-pin in an elevated position until the link has been drawn outof the drawhead, a swinging stirrup 14 is provided. The stirrup issubstantially U shaped, being composed of a bottom-supporting portionand parallel sides. The sides are arranged in slots of the upperportionof the draw-head, and are pivoted to the latter by a transversepin 15, located in the rear of coupling-pin perforation. Thecoupling-pin passes downward between the sides of the stirrup, and thebottom portion thereof is located normally in advance of thecoupling-pin, and the stirrup is normally maintained at an inclination,where by when the coupling-pin is raised and the block is held inwardbeyond the coupling-pin perforation by the link the stirrup will swingdownward and assume a substantially vertical position, bringing itslower portion beneath the coupling-pin and supporting the same out ofengagement with the link. Then the link is with drawn by reason of twocars being separated, the block is moved outward by the spring, swingingthe stirrup upward and passing beneath and receiving the coupling-pin.The swing of the stirrup is limited by the slots in which the sides aremounted, and the stirrup is automatic in its operation.

It will be seen that the car-coupling is simple and inexpensive inconstruction, that it is positive and reliable in operation, and that itis capable of coupling automatically and of being readily uncoupledWithout going between cars, It will also be apparent that when two carsare coupled and it is desired to uncouple them the coupling-pin issupported in an elevated position, and that it is unnecessary fortheoperator to hold the pin nals of its sides in said slots, and having itslower portion arranged in advance of the coupling-pin, when the latteris in engagement with the link, and a spring-actuated pinsupportingblock mounted in the draw-head in rear of the coupling-pin and providedat its front with a projection, arranged to engage the stirrup andforming a lower recess for the reception of a link, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, a coupling-pin, aspring-actuated pin-supportin g block arranged in rear of thecoupling-pin and adapted to hold the same in an elevated position, andan oscillating automatically-operating stirrup located adjacent to thecoupling-pin and arranged in advance of the block, and adapted to beengaged by the same, said stirrup being capable of swinging beneath andsupporting the coupling-pin when the block is held rearward or inwardaway from the coupling-pin by a link, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have heretoafiixed our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT G. HARDESTY. JOHN F. HALE. ROLLA J. WELCH. lVitnesses:

FRANK M. KELLETT, W. A. GILLETT.

